Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Debt Based Business Transactions

While thinking about this Aya 280 of Al-Baqara. I am not able to determine whether the first part of the Aya "If the debtor is in a difficulty grant him time till it is easy for him to repay" is mandatory up on Muslims. If so then it is not for everyone to do business on 'Murabahah", one must have enough capital, if one has to wait for sometime that some of his debtors are able to pay, he is not out of business. This Aya is part of Ruku 38 that starts from Aya 274 and ends at Aya 281. While reading of these Ayat, I understood these Ayat as follows:

1. Give charity. Those who give charity, they shall be in no fear and grief whatsoever - decrease in their wealth is one of these.
2. Trade is permitted but usury is forbidden. Usury is something different from trade.
3. Usury will not increase anything including wealth but deeds of charity will increase all things including wealth. Allah(SWT) does not love ungrateful and wicked. People shall be ungrateful and wicked also - ungrateful to Allah(SWT) on His blessings on them and wicked as to use some mischievous ways to defeat the forbidding of usury.
4. Those who have firm belief in everything that is said above and do good deeds and establish Salah and pay Zakah, their reward is with Allah(SWT) and they shall be in no fear and grief whatsoever - That reward, they may not perceive it.
5. Those who claim to be Muslims should be conscious of Allah(SWT) and should give up their demand of usury if they claim to be Muslims.
6. If you (those who claim to be Muslims) don't do this, then there is a notice of war from Allah(SWT) and His Messenger (PBUH) and if you agree to give up your demand of usury then you are entitled to your original amount.
7. If the debtor is unable to pay the original amount that is promised above then give him time to such an extent that he is able to pay the amount but it is much better to give up entire amount as charity. Don't write off this amount in your books as bad debt but as giving a charity. This act is best of the things in debt based transactions but one may not perceive it.
8. Remain conscious of the day of judgment when all human beings shall be accounted for their deeds and each shall have his account statement of good deeds and sinful deeds that shall be prepared with enough proof that no one shall be able to deny it.

All of the above leads to one conclusion that there is an element of usury in debt based transactions and these types of transactions are not to be taken as a routine matter as in business no one has enough capital to give time to debtor till they are able to pay the original amount - meaning cost or cash basis price and nor can everyone write them off as charity even if it is the best and it is the best because Allah(SWT) has said so.

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